Politics

Ministers to report to Kenny on success of St Patrick’s trade missions

Charlie Flanagan says €5m gained last year at cost of €300,000 in travel expenses

Minister for Jobs and Enterprise Richard Bruton with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan, at the launch of the St Patrick’s Day Enterprise International programme. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times
Minister for Jobs and Enterprise Richard Bruton with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan, at the launch of the St Patrick’s Day Enterprise International programme. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times
Fiach Kelly
Tue Feb 24 2015 - 01:03

Ministers travelling abroad for the annual programme of St Patrick’s week trade missions will have to report back to Taoiseach Enda Kenny on the success of their trips.

Launching this year's trade missions, which see every Minister – apart from Michael Noonan – leave the State, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said they offered an unrivalled opportunity to promote Ireland. Mr Noonan, as well as Attorney General Máire Whelan, will remain in Dublin, while 29 Ministers visit countries such as the US, China, Japan, Australia and Russia.

Mr Flanagan said the total cost of the trade missions will be broadly similar to last year’s €300,000. Every Minister will have to report back to Mr Kenny on the outcome of their trip, he said.

“I’m quite satisfied that this is money really, really well spent,” Mr Flanagan added. “Last year, for example, as an immediate consequence of our ministerial visits, €5 million was gained at a cost of €300,000 for the entire event. This year, each department is paying for its own ministerial engagement.

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“Every Minister and Minister of State will report directly back to the Taoiseach in terms of numbers of meetings, type of meetings, whom they met and follow-up engagements. No other country has an opportunity like St Patrick’s Day. There are many governments, many businesses [which are] envious of Ireland.”

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, who launched the programme with Mr Flanagan, said the Government was targeting new markets for Irish businesses. The companies which will participate in the trade missions have been carefully selected, Mr Bruton added.

"Enterprise Ireland puts a huge amount of work into selecting the companies which will participate," he said. "This is very much enterprise-led, where a company seeks to identify opportunities in a particular market.

"We are going after new areas like China, India and so on, but we are also looking to consolidate in our European markets, which are the core for many of our sectors, as well as the US."

Mr Kenny and Tánaiste Joan Burton will both travel to the US, with Ms Burton visiting Boston, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The Taoiseach will travel to Washington to meet President Barack Obama for the traditional shamrock ceremony in the White House and will also visit other US cities. Final details have yet to be announced.

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald is travelling to Indonesia and Singapore. Mr Flanagan's itinerary combines a visit to New York with engagements in Canada. Mr Bruton travels to Paris; Minister for Health Leo Varadkar to Mexico and Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly to China.